Feeding a Finnicky Dog Virginia

Does your dog act like a picky rock star when it comes to food?  Some dogs can be very finicky about their food, and it can be frustrating for the dog owner.  They may turn up their nose at certain food or even refuse to eat.  Cats have developed a reputation for being finicky but dogs can also be quite choosy at mealtimes.  There are a few things that you can do to help your finicky dog be more agreeable at mealtimes.

If your dog had a normal appetite and suddenly became a finicky eater, it is important to get to the root of why he has lost interest in food.  Most importantly, you should determine if your dog is ill.  If your dog’s appetite has changed and he is showing other signs such as diarrhea, lack of energy, coughing or anything out of the ordinary, you should see your veterinarian.  If your dog is healthy, here is a checklist of items that will help you with your finicky dog.

Have you changed his food?  Dogs are a bit like toddlers in that they do not always immediately adapt to new foods. Luckily, unlike toddlers dogs will not throw food at you! To introduce your dog to a new food, you will have to make the change gradually.  Mix the new food with the old food.  You can mix about ¼ of new food with ¾ old food for several days.  Gradually increase the new food and decrease the old food.  Be patient as your dog may not adjust quickly, especially if you are switching him from “junk food” to healthy food.  His taste buds will adapt in time.

Is the food spoiled?  Dry and canned food can spoil, or you could have purchased a bad batch of food.  Refrigerated food should never be left out all day.  If you feed your dog canned food, and you do not use the entire can, store the remainder in a glass container in the refrigerator.  Dry food that is naturally preserved has a shorter shelf life than dry food that is chemically preserved.  Be sure to check the expiration date on the bag. 

Is your dog hungry?  If you are giving your dog treats in between meals he may not be hungry.  Treats should comprise no more than 10% of your dog’s diet.  Make sure that the whole family is aware of the treat ration for the day and that you all have a system for communicating when the dog has received treats.  Too many treats can not only lead to a finicky dog but an overweight dog!  One dog owner had a sweet little schnauzer that convinced anyone who entered the house to give her treats.  She would show the visitor the treat box and dance around with a big sad look.  The poor dog ended up 20 pounds overweight and barely able to move from her doggy bed!  No matter how cute and lovable, don’t overfeed your dog, it is not healthy for them.

Is the food too cold?  While the temperature of the food does not matter to your dog, the aroma makes a difference.  Cold food has less of an aroma than room temperature food.  You can add a bit of hot water to the food to bring out the aroma. 

Does your dog have a feeding schedule?  Free feeding can lead to a finicky dog.  Free feeding is not a good choice for any dog.  Some breeds are prone to obesity, and will just continue eating even when full. If food is left out for them at all times, they will eat it!  Some breeds are prone to bloat or gastric torsion and as such they need to have their food intake controlled.  Finally, all dogs must have time to rest their digestive systems or it can lead to medical problems.  If you are free feeding your dog, it may take a week or two to adjust your dog to a feeding schedule.  Initially the dog may only nibble at his meal because he has been accustomed to feeding all day.  Take the food away after 15-20 minutes.  The dog will soon adapt to only eating at certain times.  This is not cruel, and it is okay for your dog to be hungry.  Dogs can even go 1-2 days without food and it will have no adverse effect.

Some dog breeds are just hard wired to be picky, such as the German Shepherd.  If you are the proud owner of a breed that is naturally a finicky eater, it will take a bit of patience to find out what your finicky dog will eat.

Change the texture.  Some dogs may prefer moist food to dry or vice versa.  If you are giving your dog dry food, try adding a bit of broth or hot water to moisten the food.  If you are giving your dog moist food, add kibble to give it some crunch.  In making the change, make small adjustments to test what will work.  Finicky dogs will be slower to adjust so give it time.

Change the feeding schedule.  If your dog is on a twice per day schedule, try switching to once per day.  Do not overfeed as this could lead to gastric problems.  As long as your dog is healthy and not overweight, it is okay to try the once per day schedule.  Some dogs do better with one daily feeding.

Change the flavor.  It may not always be practical to run out and buy a new flavor of dog food, but you can make subtle changes to the existing food.  Add a little bit of unsalted meat to the food, or poultry broth.  If you are due for a new bag of food, try a different flavor.  One caution here, don’t buy the biggest bag of food!  Buy a small bag so that you can try it.  Remember your finicky dog may well reject the brand!

Bribe your dog.  Is there a treat that your dog loves?  Break it up into the food.  You can try to gradually decrease the treat until your dog eats the food alone.  Remember that treats should comprise no more than 10% of your dog’s diet. 

Working with a finicky dog requires patience.  Do not leave the food out if they do not eat.  Take the food away after about 15 or 20 minutes.  Even if your dog goes a day or two without eating, he will be okay.  He will get hungry enough to eat his food.  For naturally finicky dogs, you may have some trial and error with food but you will find the right texture and taste combination to keep your dog happy!